DWA Climate Award: Janisch & Schulz Participates

Since 2023, the German Association for Water, Wastewater, and Waste (DWA) has been awarding a Climate Prize.

As a DWA member, we are participating this year—with a constructed wetland. What makes this project unique is its location and how the treated water is utilized.

The project site for the new “Little Franklin” nature kindergarten is located on the grounds of the former Franklin-Field military complex in Mannheim. In 2022, LivingCircles GmbH established a nature kindergarten there with an innovative concept: integrating children into the handling and natural cycles of resources in their daily activities. This approach allows them to experience firsthand how their actions can have a positive impact on their environment [more at: https://www.livingcircles.de/kreislaeufe/]. In line with this concept, the kindergarten’s wastewater is treated naturally, offering children insight into the purification process and enabling their interactive participation.

In practice, this means that the wastewater does not enter the public sewer system but is instead treated in an on-site constructed wetland and subsequently infiltrated. The reed bed and infiltration basin create valuable wetland habitats that provide ecological niches. Thanks to the continuous supply of treated water, these areas remain green and serve as cooling oases even during hot and dry summers.

Water treated in constructed wetlands meets bathing water quality standards, making it well-suited for local infiltration. This ensures that water is retained within the local cycle, ultimately contributing to groundwater recharge.

The facility is a small contribution to climate and environmental protection—like any other constructed wetland. However, its location within an urban setting makes it a model for how decentralized wastewater treatment can support climate adaptation in cities.

The awards will be presented in September at the DWA “Water Days” conference in Berlin. Wish us luck!